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Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance

The Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated SLPFA; Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පොදුජන සන්ධානය, romanized: Śrī Laṃkā Nidahas Podujana Sandhānaya; Tamil: ஶ்ரீ லங்கா பொதுஜன சுதந்திர கூட்டமைப்பு, romanized: Śrī laṅkā Potujaṉa Cutantira Kūṭṭamaippu) was a political alliance led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna formed in 2019. Initially, the alliance consisted of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and fifteen smaller parties.

Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance
ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පොදුජන සන්ධානය
ஶ்ரீ லங்கா பொதுஜன சுதந்திர கூட்டமைப்பு
AbbreviationSLPFA
LeaderMahinda Rajapaksa[1]
ChairpersonMaithripala Sirisena[1]
General SecretarySagara Kariyawasam[1]
Founded31 October 2019
Dissolved5 April 2022
Preceded byUnited People's Freedom Alliance
Succeeded bySri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Pro-Rajapaksa faction)
People's Alliance (Anti-Rajapaksa faction)
IdeologyBig tent
Factions:
Social democracy[2][3]
Socialism
Communism
Sinhalese nationalism[4]
Anti-federalism[5]
Anti-imperialism[6]
Political positionBig tent
Factions:
Centre-left to far-left
Website
podujanasandanaya.org
podujanaalliance.org

Since 5 April 2022, the alliance has been functionally dissolved, after many of the SLPP's former allies left the SLFPA to join the opposition amidst the Sri Lankan economic crisis and 2022 Sri Lankan political crisis.

History

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On 31 October 2019, seventeen parties including the SLPP and SLFP signed an agreement at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo to form the Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance.[7][8] The seventeen parties included:[9][10]

  1. Ceylon Workers' Congress[a]
  2. Communist Party of Sri Lanka[a]
  3. Democratic Left Front[a]
  4. Desha Vimukthi Janatha Pakshaya
  5. Eelam People's Democratic Party
  6. Lanka Sama Samaja Party[a]
  7. Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
  8. Mutpokkuth Tamilar Kachchi
  9. National Congress[a]
  10. National Freedom Front[a]
  11. Pivithuru Hela Urumaya[a]
  12. Sri Lanka Freedom Party[a]
  13. Sri Lanka People's Party[a]
  14. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
  15. Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal
  16. United People’s Party[a]
  17. Vijaya Dharani Jathika Sabawa

The alliance supported SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the 2019 presidential election.[11][12] It had planned to contest the 2020 parliamentary election under the chair symbol, the symbol of a previous SLFP-led alliance, the People's Alliance.[13][14] However, in February 2020 the alliance chose to contest the election under the flower bud symbol of the SLPP.[15][16]

On 5 April 2022, amidst the Sri Lankan economic crisis and 2022 Sri Lankan political crisis, many of the SLPP's former allies left the SLFPA to join the opposition.

Electoral history

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Sri Lanka Parliamentary Elections
Election year Votes Vote % Seats won +/– Leader Result for the party
2020 6,853,690 59.09%
145 / 225
   50 Mahinda Rajapaksa Government


Sri Lanka Presidential Elections
Election year Candidate Votes Vote % Result
2019 Gotabaya Rajapaksa 6,924,255 52.25% Won

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Left the alliance in 2022.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Pothmulla, Lahiru (17 February 2020). "SLPP, SLFP to contest polls from Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandanaya". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  2. ^ "BUSINESS TODAY -I Believe in the SLFP". businesstoday.lk.
  3. ^ "Re-nationalizing: New economic policy".
  4. ^ Perera, Jehan. "Prevent Vicious Cycle From Re-Emerging After Election". peace-srilanka.org. The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  5. ^ "The Politics of Demonizing Federalism and Depicting It as Separatism". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Paradox of Pohottuwa's anti-Americanism with US soft diplomacy in Lankan politics". Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Sunday Times. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Agreement signed to form Podujana Nidahas Sandhanaya". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  8. ^ "31 October 2019". Ada Derana. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019.
  9. ^ Pothmulla, Lahiru (31 October 2019). "Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance formed". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  10. ^ "17 parties ink agreement to form SLPFA". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  11. ^ Senarathna, Nuwan (1 November 2019). "Sixteen political parties back GR". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  12. ^ "SLFP-SLPP coalition, Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Alliance formed". News First. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Gota to receive 6.5 million votes through SLFP - SLPP alliance : Dayasiri". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  14. ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra (31 October 2019). "Coalition formed to contest 2020 general election under Chair symbol Gotabaya inks pact with large grouping". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  15. ^ Senarathne, Nuwan (18 February 2020). "SLPP-SLFP submit application to register coalition". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  16. ^ Mudalige, Disna (17 February 2020). "SLPP and SLFP to contest general election under new alliance". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
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